Revolver firing mechanism with the trigger extending above and straddling the barrel

ABSTRACT

A body means has a cartridge cylinder rotatably supported thereby. A barrel is also supported by the body means and is aligned with the lower part of the cylinder. A trigger is pivotally supported by the body means and includes a pair of portions extending on opposite sides of the barrel so that a portion of the trigger straddles the barrel. Revolving means for revolving the cylinder is operatively connected with one of said portions of the trigger at one side of the revolver and is disposed within a handle portion of the body means. A firing means for firing the revolver is operatively connected with the other of said portions of the trigger at the opposite side of the body means and is also disposed within said handle portion.

United States Patent Clark 1451 Mar. 28, 1972 s41 REVOLVER FIRING MECHANISM 1,480,521 1/1924 Faller et a1 ..42/59 WITH THE TRIGGER EXTENDING 792,077 6/1905 Renwick ..42/59 ABOVE AND STRADDLING THE BARREL Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner-C. T. Jordan A ttorney-Shoemaker & Mattare [57] ABSTRACT A body means has a cartridge cylinder rotatably supported thereby. A barrel is also supported by the body means and is aligned with the lower part of the cylinder. A trigger is 10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented March 28, 1972 3,651,593

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.!.

FIGZ.

INVENTOR A. B EN CLAR K BY /MMU 7 ATTORNEYS Patented March 28, 1972 3,651,593

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F I G 3 F IG.4. /|o f\ A H2 30 IGX "3 82 98 8|\ I00 no so as 90 INVENTOR A. BEN CLARK BY Mam ATTORNEYS REVOLVER FIRING MECHANISM WITH THE TRIGGER EXTENDING ABOVE AND STRADDLING THE BARREL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a revolver, and more particularly to a palm gun which is adapted to be held in the palm of the hand.

Efforts have been made in the past to develop a revolving cylinder type of gun to provide maximum dependability and which can be held in the palm of the hand. However, known constructions of this type are excessively heavy and bulky in construction. In an effort to reduce the size thereof, the handle or handgrip portion of present constructions is not of adequate size, and additionally, an unbalanced recoil is obtained with conventional arrangements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention, a cylinder is rotatably supported by a body means, and a barrel is also supported by the body means, the barrel being aligned with the lower part of the cylinder so that cartridges are discharged from the lowermost chamber in the cylinder.

A trigger is pivotally supported by the body means and includes a pair of portions extending on opposite sides of the barrel so that a portion of the trigger straddles the barrel while the remainder of the trigger extends upwardly above the barrel. With this construction, the same amount of mass or weight of the revolver is disposed above the barrel as below the barrel thereby providing a balanced recoil making possible a radical reduction in weight without a corresponding sacrifice of stability.

The revolving means and the firing means which are operatively connected with the trigger are disposed within the handle portion of the body means thereby affording an overall compact design of minimum weight, and yet at the same time providing a relatively large handle or handgrip portion.

A shield means is also provided adjacent the cylinder to prevent a user's hand from being burned by any blow-by of hot gasses which may escape between the cylinder and the barrel.

The above features of the present invention including dependability, compactness, lightness of weight and balanced recoil make the revolver ideal for civilian and military police, and as a light sidearm for military personnel in any situation where such guns are desirable.

The construction of the present invention is more compact than present automatic type guns, and since it is of the revolving cylinder type, it is much more dependable. The balanced recoil obtained with the present invention cannot be obtained with present automatic or revolver type guns. The balanced recoil additionally provides more accuracy during repeated rapid firing.

Almost the entire revolver of the present invention can be enclosed within the palm of the hand in the firing position, while the balanced point of recoil is disposed against the strongest part of the hand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a revolver according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of the righthand side of the revolver shown in FIG. 1 with the side portions thereof removed for the sake of illustration;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the components in different operative relationship with respect to one another, and,

FIG. 4 is a view of the lefthand side of the revolver shown in FIG. I, with the side portions thereof removed for the sake of illustration.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the revolver according to the present invention includes a body means indicated generally by reference numeral 10 having a handle portion or handgrip 12 including hollow portions for receiving the revolving means and firing means hereinafter described.

A cartridge cylinder 14 of conventional construction having a suitable number of chambers therein for receiving cartridges is rotatably joumalled on a pin 16 supported by the body means. A barrel 20 is supported by the body means and is aligned with the lower part of the cylinder so that a cartridge is discharged from the lowermost part of the cylinder when the gun is fired.

The upper part of the body means is mounted for pivotal movement about the axis of a pin 24 whereby the upper part of the body means supporting the cartridge cylinder and the barrel is adapted to swing upwardly with respect to the lower part of the body means including the aforementioned handle portion. Suitable sight means 26 and 28 are provided at opposite ends of the body means, these sight means being of conventional construction.

The trigger of the present invention is of bifurcated construction including an upper part 30 and a pair of spaced lower portions 32 and 34 which are disposed on opposite sides of the barrel whereby the lower part of the trigger straddles the barrel. The lower ends of portions 32 and 34 of the trigger are mounted for pivotal movement about the axis of pin 24 previously described.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the firing means disposed within the handle portion includes a control rod 40 moveably supported for movement within the handle portion, the forward tapered end of the control rod being received within a notch 42 provided in the rear edge of the portion 32 of the trigger. The rear end of control rod 40 is provided with a cutout in the under surface thereof to provide a generally vertical shoulder 44 which is engageable with a portion 46 on a hammer 48.

Hammer 48 is mounted for pivotal movement about the axis of a pin 50 and includes a depression 52 in the under surface thereof which receives the upper end of a spring 54. Spring 54 is bent around a pair of posts 56 provided in the handle portion and normally biases the hammer in a clockwise direction about pin 50.

The hammer includes a portion 58 adapted to engage a firing pin 60 mounted for pivotal movement about the axis of a pin 64. The firing pin includes a portion 66 adapted to engage a cartridge in the associated cylinder for firing the gun. A spring 68 normally prevents the firing pin from firing a cartridge within the cylinder until the firing pin is struck by the hammer.

A spring 70 extends from the firing pin and the forward end thereof is engaged within a notch 74 in the rear face of control rod 40 thereby normally urging control rod 40 forwardly into engagement with the trigger.

When trigger 30 is engaged by the finger of a person and moved rearwardly or counterclockwise as seen in FIG. 2, the components move into the operative position shown in FIG. 3 wherein the hammer has been pivoted in a counterclockwise direction, and portion 46 on the hammer is about to clear shoulder 44 formed on the control rod. As the trigger is moved slightly rearwardly from the position shown in FIG. 3, portion 46 on the hammer clears shoulder 44 and the hammer is urged by deformed spring 54 in a clockwise direction whereupon the hammer strikes the firing pin and forces the firing pin against a cartridge in the chamber with a sharp percussive blow thereby exploding the cartridge and firing the gun.

Upon release of the trigger, the components of the firing means will again be urged into the position shown in FIG. 2 so that the revolver can again be fired.

Referring now to FIG. 4 of the drawings, the revolving means is illustrated. A spring is connected at the forward end thereof to an anchor 81 provided on the body means, while the rear end of the spring is disposed within a notch 82 provided in the forward edge of portion 34 of the trigger. This spring normally maintains the trigger in operative engagement with the firing means and revolving means.

The revolving means includes a control rod 84, the forward tapered end of which is received within a notch 86 provided in the rear edge of the portion 34 of the trigger. The rear end of control rod 84 is pivotally connected at 88 to a bell crank 90 mounted for pivotal movement about the axis of a pin 92. The opposite end of the bell crank is pivotally connected at 94 to a pawl member 96 having a tapered upper end 98.

The upper end 98 of the pawl is engageable with rachet teeth 100 provided on a shell ejector 102 carried at the rear end of the aforementioned pin 16. Interengagement of the rachet teeth and pawl member causes rotation of the cylinder in the usual manner upon movement of the trigger toward the rear of the revolver.

A stop means 1 is provided on bell crank 90 and is adapted to be received within tapered notches 112 formed on the cylinder. Each of these tapered notches has a flat end surface engageable with stop means 110 for holding the cylinder in operative position when a cartridge is being fired from the cylinder.

A spring 116 is connected at the lower end thereof to an anchor 1 18 provided in the handle, the upper end of the spring being connected with pawl 96 for normally biasing the revolving means in one direction so as to move bell crank 90 in a counterclockwise direction and to hold pawl 96 in engagement with rachet teeth 100.

When the trigger is pulled toward the rear of the revolver, control rod 84 causes bell crank 90 to pivot in a counterclockwise direction, thereby moving pawl 96 upwardly so as to rotate the cylinder due to the interengagement of the rachet teeth and the pawl.

Stop means 110 enters a notch 112 in the cylinder, and this stop means subsequently engages the fiat end surface of an associated notch so as to hold the cylinder in operative position just prior to the time when the hammer is released to drive the firing pin into engagement with a cartridge disposed within the cylinder so as to fire the gun.

Upon release of the trigger, the components of the firing means will be automatically biased back into the operative position shown in FIG. 4, ready for a subsequent firing cycle.

A shield means 120 is supported by the body means adjacent the cylinder to protect a users hand from any hot blowby gasses which may escape between the cylinder and the barrel.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive.

What is claimed is:

l. A revolver comprising a generally L-shaped body means including first and second portions extending substantially perpendicularly to one another, a cartridge cylinder rotatably supported in said first portion of said body means, a barrel supported by said body means in said first portion and aligned with the lower part of said cylinder, a trigger movably supported by the body means on said first portion and extending above said barrel, revolving means operatively connected with said trigger for revolving said cylinder, and firing means operatively connected with said trigger for firing the revolver, said revolving means and said firing means mounted in the second portion of said body means, said second portion of said body means comprising a handle for said revolver.

2. A revolver as defined in claim 1, wherein said revolving means includes rachet means operatively connected with said cylinder, an actuating rod operatively connected with said trigger and interconnected with pawl means engageable with said rachet means.

3. A revolver as defined in claim 2, wherein said revolving means includes spring means engageable with said revolving means and normally biasing said revolving means in one direction.

4. A revolver as defined in claim 1, wherein said revolving means includes stop means, said cylinder having means thereon engageable with said stop means for holding the cylinder in operative position when a cartridge is fired therefrom.

5. A revolver comprising a body means, a cartridge cylinder rotatably supported by said body means, a barrel supported by said body means and aligned with the lower part of said cylinder, a trigger movably supported by the body means and extending above said barrel, revolving means operatively connected with said trigger for revolving said cylinder, and firing means operatively connected with said trigger for firing the revolver, said firing means including a hammer movably supported by said body means, a firing pin pivotally supported by said body means and adapted to strike a cartridge in said cylinder for firing said cartridge, said hammer being interengageable with said firing pin for operating the firing pin.

6. A revolver as defined in claim 5, including a first spring means engageable with said hammer and normally biasing said hammer in one direction, and second spring means engageable with said firing pin for normally preventing the firing pin from firing a cartridge in said cylinder.

7. A revolver as defined in claim 5, wherein said firing means includes a control rod operatively connected with said trigger, said control rod being engageable with said hammer to move said hammer and wherein said hammer is pivotally supported by said body means.

8. A revolver as defined in claim 7, including a spring means engaging said control rod for maintaining the control rod in operative relationship with respect to said trigger.

9. A revolver comprising a body means, a cartridge cylinder rotatably supported by said body means, a barrel supported by said body means and aligned with the lower part of said cylinder, a trigger movably supported by the body means and extending above said barrel, said trigger including two spaced portions disposed at opposite sides of the barrel with a portion thereof straddling the barrel, revolving means operatively connected with said trigger for revolving said cylinder, and firing means operatively connected with said trigger for firing the revolver.

10. A revolver comprising a body means, a cartridge cylinder rotatably supported by said body means, a barrel supported by said body means and aligned with the lower part of said cylinder, a trigger moveably supported by the body means and extending above said barrel, revolving means operatively connected with said trigger for revolving said cylinder, and firing means operatively connected with said trigger for firing the revolver, said trigger including spaced portions disposed at opposite sides of the barrel whereby a portion of the trigger straddles the barrel and part of the trigger extends above the barrel, said revolving means including rachet means operatively connected with said cylinder, and pawl means operated by said trigger and being engageable with said rachet means, spring means engaging a portion of said revolving means and normally biasing the revolving means in one direction, stop means on said revolving means engageable with means on the cylinder for holding the cylinder in operative position when a cartridge is fired therefrom, and firing means including a hammer pivotally supported by said body means, spring means engageable with said hammer for biasing the hammer in one direction, said firing means also including a firing pin pivotally supported by said body means, spring means engaging said firing pin for normally preventing the firing pin from firing a cartridge in said cylinder, said hammer being engageable with said firing pin to operate the firing pin and to cause a cartridge to be fired, said firing means also including a control rod engageable with said hammer, further spring means engaging said control rod and normally biasing the control rod in one direction, and shield means supported by the body means adjacent said cylinder. 

1. A revolver comprising a generally L-shaped body means including first and second portions extending substantially perpendicularly to one another, a cartridge cylinder rotatably supported in said first portion of said body means, a barrel supported by said body means in said first portion and aligned with the lower part of said cylinder, a trigger movably supported by the body means on said first portion and extending aboVe said barrel, revolving means operatively connected with said trigger for revolving said cylinder, and firing means operatively connected with said trigger for firing the revolver, said revolving means and said firing means mounted in the second portion of said body means, said second portion of said body means comprising a handle for said revolver.
 2. A revolver as defined in claim 1, wherein said revolving means includes rachet means operatively connected with said cylinder, an actuating rod operatively connected with said trigger and interconnected with pawl means engageable with said rachet means.
 3. A revolver as defined in claim 2, wherein said revolving means includes spring means engageable with said revolving means and normally biasing said revolving means in one direction.
 4. A revolver as defined in claim 1, wherein said revolving means includes stop means, said cylinder having means thereon engageable with said stop means for holding the cylinder in operative position when a cartridge is fired therefrom.
 5. A revolver comprising a body means, a cartridge cylinder rotatably supported by said body means, a barrel supported by said body means and aligned with the lower part of said cylinder, a trigger movably supported by the body means and extending above said barrel, revolving means operatively connected with said trigger for revolving said cylinder, and firing means operatively connected with said trigger for firing the revolver, said firing means including a hammer movably supported by said body means, a firing pin pivotally supported by said body means and adapted to strike a cartridge in said cylinder for firing said cartridge, said hammer being interengageable with said firing pin for operating the firing pin.
 6. A revolver as defined in claim 5, including a first spring means engageable with said hammer and normally biasing said hammer in one direction, and second spring means engageable with said firing pin for normally preventing the firing pin from firing a cartridge in said cylinder.
 7. A revolver as defined in claim 5, wherein said firing means includes a control rod operatively connected with said trigger, said control rod being engageable with said hammer to move said hammer and wherein said hammer is pivotally supported by said body means.
 8. A revolver as defined in claim 7, including a spring means engaging said control rod for maintaining the control rod in operative relationship with respect to said trigger.
 9. A revolver comprising a body means, a cartridge cylinder rotatably supported by said body means, a barrel supported by said body means and aligned with the lower part of said cylinder, a trigger movably supported by the body means and extending above said barrel, said trigger including two spaced portions disposed at opposite sides of the barrel with a portion thereof straddling the barrel, revolving means operatively connected with said trigger for revolving said cylinder, and firing means operatively connected with said trigger for firing the revolver.
 10. A revolver comprising a body means, a cartridge cylinder rotatably supported by said body means, a barrel supported by said body means and aligned with the lower part of said cylinder, a trigger moveably supported by the body means and extending above said barrel, revolving means operatively connected with said trigger for revolving said cylinder, and firing means operatively connected with said trigger for firing the revolver, said trigger including spaced portions disposed at opposite sides of the barrel whereby a portion of the trigger straddles the barrel and part of the trigger extends above the barrel, said revolving means including rachet means operatively connected with said cylinder, and pawl means operated by said trigger and being engageable with said rachet means, spring means engaging a portion of said revolving means and normally biasing the revolving means in one direction, stop means on said revolving means engageable with means on thE cylinder for holding the cylinder in operative position when a cartridge is fired therefrom, and firing means including a hammer pivotally supported by said body means, spring means engageable with said hammer for biasing the hammer in one direction, said firing means also including a firing pin pivotally supported by said body means, spring means engaging said firing pin for normally preventing the firing pin from firing a cartridge in said cylinder, said hammer being engageable with said firing pin to operate the firing pin and to cause a cartridge to be fired, said firing means also including a control rod engageable with said hammer, further spring means engaging said control rod and normally biasing the control rod in one direction, and shield means supported by the body means adjacent said cylinder. 